Car-dumping apparatus



G. W. \MERRITT CAR DUMPING APPARATUS Sept; 10, l94 6.

Filed May 29, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @ZWZ G. w. MERRITT -CAR DUMPING APPARATUS Flled May 29 1944 a t ma .5 9 W r Tr z. m w L: z I. mw w. W g m $5M .K H /w 6 WV NJ w 4 JMWJ Q Q 6 Patentecl Sept. 10, 1946 orrlca CAR-DUMPING APPARATUS Glenn W. Merritt; Bowerston, Ohio, assignor to The Mining Safety Device Company, Bowerston, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio 7 Application May 29, 1944, Serial No. 537,943

4 Claims.

This invention relates to car dumping apparatus. It has to do with that type of dump having a rotary cage in which a car, for instance a mine or railroad car, is received to be inverted for the purpose of discharging the contents.

Taken collectively, the improvements hereof are operable to control the turning over of the cage and relate particularly to the starting and stopping thereof.

One object of this invention is to provide a dump of the class described having a novel positive starter for the cage whose driving and driven elements will not jam in a dead center positional relation thereby preventing damage thereto together with novel means for checking the momentum of the cage near the end of the dumping cycle operable to bring the cage to a cushioned stop thereby reducing wear and tear on the equipment, particularly the rail aligning stop, and providing for more positive control over the stopping of the cage.

Other objects and advantageous features will be noted in the accompanying drawings and written description wherein like reference'characters designate corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of one end of the dum illustrating the novel positive starter.

Figure 2 is a detail view taken in the direction of arrows 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3A isa detail of the positive starter showing the parts in another position.

Figure 3 is a detail of the positive starting lug.

Fi ure 4 is an end elevation. partly broken away of the opposite end of the dump illustrating the means for checln'ng the momentum of the cage.

Figur 5 is a detail view taken in the direction of arrows 5-5 in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail showing the cage as it approaches rail aligning position illustrating the means for checking the momentum of the cage at the beginning of the working stroke.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view in side elevation of a car dump of the class described.

With referenc to Figure 7, l is the cylindrical rotary cage of a car du mper having thereon rails 2 for supporting a car 3 to be dumped. 4 is the approach track and 5 the receiving track over which full cars arrive at and empty cars leave the dump respectively.

The positive starter, illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 3a is located at the right hand end of the dump at the zone designated by A while the means for checking the momentum of the cage illustrated in Figures 4 to 6, inclusive is located at the opposite end of the dump at the zone B.

Cages of this type are well-known in the art and the details of cage construction will be omitted except where necessary to properly describe the invention.

At one end of the cage is a ring rail 6, Figure 1 and a similar rail 1, Figure 4 is located at the opposite end. Said rails are supported on wheels 8, one of which as shown at 8a, is a driving wheel for revolving the cage. This wheel is mounted on a shaft 9 which is driven by gear ID, on shaft 9 and gear I l on the shaft l2 of a two-speed motor [4 whose operation is preferably automatically controlled to rotate the cage slowly at the start to a point where the car starts to empty andthen at a higher rate of speed in order to reduce the time for the complete dumping cycle. Th cage is slowed down as it approaches rail aligning position by a limit switch l5 whose actuatorlfi is engaged by a cam I'l rotating with one of the ring rails to energize the low speed windings of the motor. The motor circuit is de-energized by a stop switch I 8 whose actuator I9 is arranged to be engaged just before the cage reaches rail aligning position by another cam 20 carried by the ring rail, Said motor may be provided with a. magnetic brak to further assist in stopping the cage. The location and number of these switches may be varied depending on the type and size of cage and other factors, the principal objective however being to complete the dumping cycle in a minimum interval of time while maintaining positive control over the movement of the cage and eliminiating rough treatment thereof insofar as it is possible to do so by these provisions.

The positive starter, Figures 1, 2, 3 and 3a. may, for example, comprise a plurality of equidistantly spaced pins 2| mounted on the side of the drive wheel 2:; just below the periphery thereof, this general idea of positively starting a cage by means of such pins being disc osed in the patent to G. W. Merritt, number 1,735,778.

Pins 2|, Figure 1 are adapted to engage a vertically disposed triangular shaped lug 212 pivotally attached to a thrust plate 23 located in a recess 24 between vertical webs formed in the web of ring rail 6 to minimize the shear on the securing bolts 26. Said lug 22 is free to pivot on or with its horizontal, off center mounting pin 21 which is journaled in a boss 28 formed integral with the thrust late, however upward movement, is limited by a horizontal stop 21' projecting from th thrust plate which engages a notch 30 formed in the upper edge of the lug. Downward movement is limited by a stop member 3| projecting inwardly toward the ring rail from the side of lug 22 in such position as to engage the inside surface of the rail or any other suitably located surface and normally hold the lug in approximately' the position shown in Figure 1 with one of the lug tips 32 projecting outwardly beyond the rail into the circular :path of travel of thepins 2| aboutlzthe axisao'f shaft 9. i

In prior art structures, where pins similar to pins 2| are rigidly mounted in the side of the drive wheel and ring rail and are arranged to travel in intersecting circular paths, it ispossible for a driving pin and a driven pinto come together in a dead center relationship :as the pa e completes its revolution and returns tocar receiving position. While in starting up the case. there is no danger of such an'event occurring; the drive may slip after the cage has been started and the pins have separated due to moisture .or grease on the driving and drivensurfaces or as the result of acceleration or deceleration of the drivewh'eel. Consequently, either .one'or .both of the pins [may be, bent or broken off.

. In the presentconstruction, the tip 32 of the lug and the pins 2| on the drive wheel travel in intersecting circular paths. It is preferred. that the-tip project sufficiently far into the circular path-of travel of. the pins, see Figure l, to main- 'tain the. starting thrust through several degrees of rotation of the cage in orderto gain momentum before the drive is taken up solely by the drive, wheel. As thercage .completes its revolution and returns to car receivingposition, see Figure 3A, itispossible for the tip 32 of the lug and one .of the-pins 24 to reach a dead center positional relationship, however the axis of rotation of the lug on the ring rail web is ahead of and above the ,point ofrcontact and not on a line radial to the axissoftthe cage passing through said point :of contact. Therefore, the lug tip will be dis- ;placed upwardly by the pin and, the bottom sur ,facecf-the lug will ride harmlessly on top or the spin. As the pin moves on, the lug will drop down therebehind inposition to be engaged by the next pin in succession upon subsequent startin up of the, cage.

v.A-tt'he other endof the dump and on the opposite side .of the cage is the novel means (sometimes called a retarder) for checking the momentum of the cage as it completes its revolution, seeFigures 4; 5 and 6. Said means comprises, -for example, a fluid displacement device having a cylinder 35 inwhich a valved piston 36 isadisposed, mounted on one of the stationary frameermembers 31. The piston rod 38 is connested-to, a counterbalanced lever 39 pivoted at 40 ton :a'standard M. A pin A2 mounted on a bracket :43attached to ,a cage part and rotatable with said cage is adapted to engage an inturned flange portion 44 of the lever 39, Figure 6, as the cagereturns to upright position and raise the lever thereby forcing :thepiston downwardly in the cylinder and displacing the fluid upwardly, the .valve being .setto, provide the proper back pressure toinsurea cushioned stop. The piston .isipreferably not releaseduntil thecage starts on the next revolution and as soon as the pin 42 .disfihgages the lever, the counterweight .45 returns the leverLfrom the position shown in Figure Alto theposition shown in Figure 6. Thus the dump issently slowed to ,astop thereby removing the shock and jar from the rail aligning lock. The cushion stop may be co-ordinated with the motor controls if desired to become effective at or about the time the cage is decelerated by the of said ring rails, means for driving one of said wheels to rotate said cage and a positive starter for imparting initial movement to said cage in- :cluding athrust member rigidly mounted onthe side of said wheel and rotatable therewith, a

*thrust receiving member rotatably mounted on saidcage and movable therewith, the axis of the rotatable mounting of said thrust receiving member .onsaid cage being located above and to one side "of thepoint of contact of said thrust memberQand thrust receiving member when incontact and means for limitin the rotation of the thrust receiving member.

2. A car dumper ,of the character described comprising, a rotatably mounted cage having ring rails at the endsthereof, an approach track leading'to the cage, a receiving track leading from the cage, wheels supporting said cage by means of said ringrails, means for drivin ione of said wheels to rotate said cage and a positive starter for imparting initial movement to said cage including a thrust member rigidly mounted on the side of said wheel and rotatable therewith, and a thrust receiving member in the ,form of a lug pivotally mounted on said cage and, projecting outwardly therefrom to intersect, when rotating with the cage, the circle of rotation .of said thrust memberv and means for limiting the rotation of the thrust receiving member. 7

3.,A .car ,dumper of the character described comprisi g, a rotatably mounted cage having ring rails ,at the ends thereof, an approach track leadingto the cage, a receiving track leading from the cage, wheels supporting said cageby means of said ring rails, means for driving one of said wheels .to, rotate .said cage. and a positive starter for imparting initial movement to said cage including a thrust member rigidlymounted .on the side of said wheel and rotatable therewith, a thrust receiving member in the form of a displaceable lug pivoted on the sideof the cage, and a stop member for limiting the angular movement of saidthrust receiving member.

'4. A car dumper of the character described comprising, a rotatably mounted, cage having ring rails at the ends thereof, an approach track leading to said cage, a receiving track leading 

